Tumbler



July 14, 1953 0. E. K'LING ETAL 2,645,033

TUMBLER 7 Filed April 10, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H TWOE/VZVS.

July 14, 1953 o. E. KLING ETAL 2. Sheets-6h. 2

Filed April 10, 1950 Ni e /cg Patented July 14, 15253 2 ,645,033'rUMBLEn 3 w liming.

Chicago, and John J orgenson, Wilmette, Ill.-

q I Application April 10,1950, Serial No. 154,984

This invention relates" tumblers.

'14 Claims. (01. 34-82) to improvements in In the malorityof the clothestumblers incomzmercial use at the present time the drums there-f.-

of are supported on roll'ersiwhich' permit rota-L tionv of 'saiddrurnson a horizontal axis. These rollers are positively driven and transmitrota- A further object of the invention is to provide I an improvedtumbler of the class described hav ing a drum formed with a rearend-walland wherein said wall has a central air outlet, said drum havinga perforated auxiliary end wall spaced inwardly from saidfirst-mentioned end wall to form an auxiliary end chamber theretiohalmoveinent to the drunrsupported thereon.

A supporting structure of this typeishot'entirely' satisfactory for anumber of reasons, among which are relatively rapid avear,a'relatively'large number of parts, and relatively-high cost. lhisconstruction; however, S' U l l l"y in large machines.

In relatively small machines, the roller type of supporting structurecan be avoided by connectlng' oneend' wall of thedruinto one end of a"coaxialshaft'journalledin a bearing which su ports both the shaftandfithe drum. This type of drum supporting structure is obviously moresirnple and more desirable'than the'roller type but due to thecantilever type of support provided, the size andweight r the'drumwhichcanbe supported thereby is limited to' one which is rel: ati'vely.small. 7 I 1 v Experience has shown that max mum dry ng efficiency isobtained when thewarindrylng air is introduced into the iront'oftherotating drum 7 and caused to flow axially "through saidfdrum,

being discharged at the; rear; jlfo jdate; lriowever no'satisfactorytumbler structure has been developed in which the druinis ca'rriedibycoaxial rotating shaft, as described abovefland in which the drying airflows throughthe drum from front to rearand outof a central reardischarge open- It is, therefore, a general object of the presentbetween, there being a shaft fixed to and projecting axially rearwardlyfrom said auxiliary end wallthrough the central opening in said drum endwall; and there being a fixed housing having its interior incommunication with said I end wall central aperture and having an airoutlet opening, said housin also carrying a bearing in which said shaftis'rotatably journalled. I

A further object of the invention is to pro vide an improved tumblerhaving a lint trap interposed between the drum and the exhaust blower,said lint trap being provided with a screen positioned so that'the airbeing drawn from the drum by the fan must pass upwardly therethrough. v

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved tumblerwherein the auxiliary end wall is provided with a central imperforatearea of substantial size and with an annular perforated area surroundingsaid imperforate area to thereby cause the air flowing through the drumto flow adjacent the periphery of said drum and to thereby effectmaximum drying efiiciency.

invention to provide anirn-proved tumbler where: L

in the drum is fixed on one end of a rotatable coaxial cantilevershaitwhi'ehisjmounted in a.

bearing, said tumbler being so constructedthat drying air flows throughthe drum fromfront to] rear and out of a central discharge opening.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved tumblerhaving a rotatable drum wherein the drying air is caused to flowtherethr gh relatively close to the periphery rather than centrally. I u

A further object of the invention s to prov de an improved tumbler ofthe class descnbed whereinthe drum is mounted in an enclosed casing,said casing being provided with a warm air inlet, and said drum beingexposed exteriorly to the warm air, in addition to beingconstructed inamanner to provide for passage of said warm air therethrough.

A further object; of "the inventionis to provide an improved tumbler ofthe classdescribed which is relatively simple in construction, eflicientin operation, and which is otherwise well adapted for the purposesdescribed.

In the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification,wherein is shown one complete embodiment of the preferred form of theinvention, and wherein like characters of reference indicate the sameparts in all-of the views:

Fig-l isa fragmentary vertical sectional View of the improved tumbler;

Fig. 21s a fragmentary front elevational view I of the improved tumblerwith the door thereof removed and with parts being broken away forclarity; and i Fig. ,3 is afragmentary sectional plan view takenapproximately along the line 3-3 of Fig. 25. Referring to Figs. 1 and 2of the drawing, the

numeral 5 indicates a generally rectangularcabinlet, preferably formedof sheet metal, having a top wall 6, side walls 1 and 8, and a frontwall 9.- The cabinet 5 is preferably open at the rear.

A vertical'wall or partition l0 extends transof the class describedversely of the cabinet in a position spaced from and parallel to thefront wall 9. A horizontally extending shelf ll, of approximately thesame size as the top wall 6, extends transversely of the cabinet and isconnected to the lower margin of the partition ID, as shown.

The front wall 9 is formed with a circular opening I5, the margins ofwhich are defined by an inwardly projecting frusto-conical flange l2. Adoor I3 is suitably mounted for swingin movement on a vertical axis andis positioned to normally close the opening l6, as shown in Fig. 1. Theshelf I is formed with an air inlet opening H, and positioned below andin registration. with the opening I4 is an air heating element I 5whichmay be of any suitable type.

The partition I8 is formed with a circular opening H which is coaxialwith the opening IS in the front wall 9; and: mounted on the rearsurface of the partition ID, in registration with theopening H, is ahousing [8. The housing l8:

has an open forward end surrounding the aperture I1, and said housingalso hasan opening l9 in: a side wall thereof adjacent the partitionII). In itsrear end wall the housing l8 carries a bearing 20, as shownin Fig. 1. Rotatably journalled in: the bearin 28 is a shaft 2| whichhas. fixed to one end thereof, rearwardly of the bearing 20, a V-beltpulley 22. The shaft 2| projects forwardly of the bearing -and coaxiallythrough the opening IT in the partition l8.

Mounted on the shelf below the housing I8 casing for rotation coaxialwith the shaft 2| is a cylindrical drum 26, The drum 26 preferably hasan imperforate circular rear end wall 21, an imperforate circular frontend wall 28, and an imperforate cylindrical side wall 29 connecting saidfront and rear end walls. The front end wall 28 is formed with a centralgarment receiving opening 30 through which the frusto-conical annularflange |2 of the cabinet front wall 9 coaxially extends. The diameter ofthe opening 30 is larger than the diameter of the opening l5, andtherefore the flange I2 is spaced inwardly from the margins of theopening 30 to form an annular opening therebetween. 7

A circular auxiliary rear end wall 3| is fixedly mounted in the drum 26spaced from and parallel with the rear end wall 21. The auxiliary endwall 3| is formed with an imperforate central area 32- of substantialsize, and said wall is also formed with a perforated. annular arearadially outwardly from the area 32. The end wall 21 and the auxiliaryend wall 3|. define an auxiliary end space 34. therebetween. The rearend wall 21 is formed with a central tubular extension which projectsrearwardly therefrom coaxial with the shaft 2| and air discharge openingIT. The tubular extension terminates adjacent the partition III, as at36.

Fixed on the forward end portion of the shaft 2| is an elongated taperedhub 31 which isformed at its forward end with a. circular plate orflange 38, The plate 38 is suitably fixed to the central the same typeof heat insulating material.

imperforate area 32 of the auxiliary rear end wall 3|. The hub 31extends through the tubular extension 35 and projects into the housing8, said hub being of substantially smaller diameter than the tubularextension 35, as shown in Fig. 1 to provide an annular air passagethrough said extension around said hub.

An annular felt-seal 38' is fixed'to the forward surface ofthe partitionIO- surrounding the opening I! and in sealing contact with the peripheryof the tubular extension 35 adjacent its rear end. The housing I8 isformed with an internal transverse partition 40 rearwardly of theopeningI! thereof, said partition having an aperture 4| coaxial with the shaft21. Fixed to the partition 4|)- is.a centrally apertured disc 42 throughwhich the shaft 2| projects. The disc 42 carries an annular felt seal 43which sealingly engages the periphery of shaft 2|.

As is clearly shown in Fig. 1-, the front wall 9, top wall 8, partitionl0, and side walls 1 and 8 are linedwith:v suitable, preferablyfireproof heat insulating material. The door I3 is also lined with Thelayer of insulation lining the vertical partition I0 is formed with anaperture 45 coaxial with the shaft 2|, which aperture is ofsubstantially larger diameter. than the felt seal.

' 52 respectively. The side wall 48 is fixed to the housing l8 and isformed with an aperture of substantially the samesize as and inregistration with the side opening I9 of the housing l8. The side wall48 is formed with a second opening 54 adjacent the upper end thereof,and mounted on the outer surface of the wall 48, with its inlet openingin communication with the aperture 54, is an exhaust blower 55 whichblower may be driven by an electric motor 56. The exhaust blower 55 hasa discharge connection 51 projectr ing through the top wall 6 of thecabinet 5 ad- Operation In operation, garments to be dried areintroduced. into the drum 28 through the garment receiving openings l5and 30 in the wall 9 and in the drum 28'. respectively; The motor 23,through the pulleys 22 and 24 and belt 25, rotates the shaft 2| and drum26 at a predetermined speed, thereby causing tumbling of the garmentswithin the drum. The exhaust blower 55 creates a suction at the aperture540i the lint trap 48 and causes air to flow through the improvedtumbler in a manner to be now described.

The air which is drawn through the improved tumbler enters the openrear'of the cabinet 5 below the partition I thereof. It is drawn intothe opening [4 in the shelf II, and as it is drawn through the opening I4, it is heated by the heating element IS. The exterior of the rotatingdrum 26' is exposed to the incoming heated air, and said air flowstoward the front of the cabinet 5 where it then fiows radially towardthe annular opening between the flange l2 and the aperture 30 of thedrum front end wall 28. As q shown by the arrows in Fig. l, the heated.air enters the drum 2E throughthe annular space just referred to andflows toward the rear of the drum.

Since the tubular extension 35 forms the only the air flowing throughthe drum is made to flow adjacent the periphery thereof, as indicatedby.

the arrows. This provides a drying action of maximum efficiency sincethe maximum amount of contact of the drying air with the garments in thedrum is provided, and a flow of air axially through the center of thedrum. is thereby.

avoided. i

I'he air flows from the tubular extension 35 into the housing [8, out ofthe side wall open-" ing IQ of said housing through the aperture 53, andinto the lint trap 48. As indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2, the airthen flows upwardly through the screen 59, out ofthe aperture 54 andinto the blower 55, from which it is discharged through the connection5?. .As the air passes through the tubular connection 35 and housing iithe felt seals 39 and 43 prevent leakage Which would reduce theefficiency of the ma chine and cause-short circuiting or bi-passing ofthe air travel. by the air into the lint trap 45 drops to the bottom ofthe lint trap '46 (from which it maybe periodically removed), and thelighter .lint is collected onthe underside of the screen 59.v

It is apparent that the improved tumbler construction provides efficientoperation, notonly due to the fact that the heated air is caused to flowin a manner to utilize the maximum amount of heat content therein, butalso the air is caused to flow through the drum 26 in a manner to drythe garments in the tumbler with maximum speed. In addition, theimproved tumbler combines these advantageous features in a constructionwherein the drum is supported at the end of a single rotating shaft.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing'from thespirit of the invention, and all of such changes are contem plated, asmay come within the scope of the claims. I

We claim: I

1. In a tumbler: a rotatable drum having an air inlet opening and havingan end wall formed with a central opening; an auxiliary end. wall insaid drum spaced inwardly of said first-mentioned end wall and formingan auxiliary end chamber therebetween, said auxiliary end wall beingformed with an air passage therethrough; a drum supporting shaft fixedto said auxiliary end wall and projecting axially outwardly through thecentral opening of said first-mentioned end wall; a fixed housingsurrounding a projecting portion of said drum supporting shaft andhaving an air inlet opening in registration with the central opening ofsaid first-mentioned end wall, said housing also having an air dischargeopening; and a bearing carried by said housing in which said drumsupporting shaft is journalled for rotation. g

- 2, In a tumbler: a rotatable drum havin a Any heavy lint that iscarried front endwall formed with an air inlet. open ing and having arear endwall formed with a central opening; an auxiliary end wall insaid drumspaced inwardly of said rear end wall and forming an auxiliaryrear endchamber therebetween, said auxiliaryend wall being formedwith animperforate central area of substantial size and with a plurality of airpassages there- I through positioned radially outwardly of said,imperforate area; a drum supporting shaft fixed. to said auxiliary endwall and projecting axially rearwardly through the central opening ofsaid rear end wall; a fixed housing surrounding the projecting portionof said drum supporting shaft and having an air inlet opening incommunication with the central opening of. said rear end wall, saidhousing also having an air discharge.

opening; a bearing carried by said housing in which said drum supportingshaft is jour-nalled I for rotation; and means for rotating said drumsupporting shaft to cause rotation of saiddrum.

3. In a. tumblerr' a rotatable drum having an I air inlet opening andhaving an end wall formed with a central opening; an auxiliary end wallin said drum spaced inwardly of, said first-mentione d end wall andforming an auxiliary end chamber therebetween, an axially boredelongated hub formed at one end with an enlarged portion fixed to saidauxiliary end wall, said end.

wall being formed withperforations outwardly of said hub portion andsaid hub projecting axially outwardly through the central opening ofsaid first-mentioned end wall; a drum supporting shaft fixed in the boreof said hub andproject ing axially outwardly therefrom; a fixed hous-,ing surrounding said drum supporting shaft and having an air inletopening in registration with I the central opening of saidfirst-mentioned end wall, said housing also having an air dischargeopening; a bearing carried by said housing in which said drum supportingshaft is journalled for rotation; and means for rotating said drumsupporting shaft to cause rotation of, said drum.

4. In a tumbler: a rotatable drum having an air inlet opening at one endand having an end an axially bored elongated hub formed'at one end iwith. a coaxial circular portion fixed to said a uxil iary .end wall,said end wall bein formed with perforations outwardly of said hubportionfand said hub projecting axially outwardlythrough the tubularextension of said first-mentioned end wall; a. drumsupporting'shaftfixed in the bore of .said'hub and projecting axially outwardlytherefrom;' a fixed housing surrounding apro J'ecting portion of saiddrum supporting shaft and having an air inlet opening in registrationwith.

the tubular extension of said fust mentioned end,

wall, said housing also having an air discharge opening; a bearingcarried by said housing. in Whichsaid drum supporting shaft isjournalled for rotation; and means for rotating said drum supportingshaftto cause rotation of said drum 5. In a tumbler: a' fixed enclosedcasing having an air inlet opening and having a" rear wall formed withan aperture therein; a rotatable drum in said casing having aniinperforate side.

wall and having an imperf'oraterear end wall formed with a coaxialrearwardiy directed tubular extension in registration with said casingrear wall ap'erture, said drum also having a front end M wallformed withan air inlet; an auxiliary end,

aewpse wall in said drum spaced inwar-dly from the rear end wall thereofand formingan auxiliary rear end chamber therebetween; said auxiliaryendwall being formed with an imperforatecentral area of substantial sizeand witha perforatedarea radially outwardly of said imperforatearea;adrum supporting shaft fixed at one end to-said auxiliary end wall andprojecting axially rear-- wardly through the tubular extensions of saiddrumrear end wall and through the aperture in the casing rear wall; afixed housing mounted on theouter surface of said casing rear'wall andhaving anair-inlet opening in registration with the apertureinthe casingrear wall, said housin surrounding a projecting portion of the drumsupporting shaft andhaving anair outlet opening; and a bearing carriedby said housing andformed with a coaxial rearwardly directed tubularextension in registration with said casin rear wall aperture, said drumalso having a front end wall-formed with an air inlet; an annularsealing ring carried by said casing. rear wall and surrounding saidtubular extension, said ring'forming; a seal between said casing walland said tubular-extension an auxiliary end wall in said drum spacedinwardly from the rear end wall thereof and forming an auxiliary rearend chamber' therebetween', said auxiliary end wall being formed with animperforate central area of substantial size and with a perforated arearadially outwardly'of said imperforate area; a drum supporting shaftfixed atone end to said auxiliary end wall and projecting axiallyrearwardly A through the tubular extension of'said' drum rear end walland: through the aperture in the casing rear \vall; a flxed'housingmountedon the outer surface of said casing rear wall and having an air'inlet opening in registration with the aperture in the casing rear wall,said housing surrounding a projecting portion of the drum supporting.shaft and havin an air outlet opening; and a bearing carried bysaidhousing and in which said drum supporting shaft is journalled forrotation.

'7'. In a tumbler: a fixed enclosed casing having an a'irinlet' openingand having a rear wall formed with an aperture therein; heating meanspositioned to heat air entering said casing; a rotatable drum in saidcasing having an imperforate side wall and having an imperforate rearend wall formed with a coaxial rearwardly directed tubular extension inregistration with said casing rear wall aperture, said drum also havinga front end wall formed with an air inlet; an auxiliary end wall in saiddrum spaced wardly from the rear end wall thereof and forming an"auxiliary rear end chamber-therebetween, said auxiliary end wall beingformed with an imperforate central area of substantial size and with aperforated area radially outwardly of said imperforatearea; a drumsupporting shaft fixed atone end to said auxiliary end wall andprojecting axially rearwardly through the tubular extension of said drumrear end wall and through the aperture in the casing rear wall; a fixedhousing mounted on the outer surface of said casing rear wall and havinan air inlet opening in registration with the aperture in the casingrear wall, said housing surrounding a projecting portion-ofthe drumsupporting shaft and having anair outlet opening; and a bearing carriedby said housing and in which said drum supporting shaft is journalledfor rotation.

8 In a-tumbler: a-fixed enclosed casing having an air inlet opening andhaving a rear wall formed-with an aperture therein; heating meansadjacent said casing air inlet opening for heating the-airentering saidcasing; a rotatable drum in said casing having an imperforate side walland havin an imperforate rear end wall formed with a coaxial rearwardlydirected tubular extension communicating with said casing rear wallaperture; said drum also having a front end wall formed with an airinlet; an auxiliary end wall in said" drumspaced inwardly from the rearend wall thereof and forming an auxiliary rear end wall chambertherebetween, said auxiliary end wall being formed with an imperforatecentral area' of substantial size and with a perforated area radiallyoutwardly of said imperforate area; an axially bored elongated hubformed at one endwith. an enlarged portion fixed to the imperforate areaof said auxiliary end wall, said hub projecting axially rearwardlythrough the tubular extension of said rear end wall' and through theaperture in the casing rear-wall; a drum supporting. shaft fixed in thebore of said hub and projecting axially rearwardly therefrom; a fixedhousing. mounted on the other surface of said casin rear wall and havingan air inlet opening in registration with the aperture in the casingrear. wall, said. housing surrounding the drum supporting shaft andhaving an air outlet opening; and a bearing carried by said housing andin which saiddrum supporting shaft is journalled for rotation.

9. In a tumbler: a rotatable drum having a supporting shaft projectingaxially from one of its ends and having an air outlet opening adjacentsaid supporting' shaft; a fixed housing surrounding a portion of saidshaft and having an end air inlet openinginregistration with the outletopening of said drum; a bearing for said drum supporting. shaft carriedby'said housing at the end thereof. which is opposite to said air inletopening, said housing also being formed with a side air dischargeopening intermediate said air inlet and bearing; a. partition in saidhousing intermediate said discharge opening and bearing, said partitionbeing formed with an aperture through which said shaft projects; and ashaft seal carried by said partition and surrounding said shaft.

10. In a tumbler: a rotatable drum having a supporting shaft projectingaxially from one of its ends and having an air outlet opening adjacentsaid supporting shaft; a fixed hOllSlIlg surrounding a portion of saidshaft and having an end'air inlet opening in registration with theoutlet opening of said drum; a bearing for said drum supporting shaftcarried by said housing at the end; thereof which is opposite to saidair inlet opening; said housing also being formed with a side airdischarge opening intermediate said air inlet and bearing'; abox-shapedlint trap having a side wall opening in registration with the side airdischarge opening of said housing, said lint trap having a dischargeopening above its side wallopening; and an exhaust blower having aninlet connection communicating with the discharge opening of said linttrap.

11. In a tumbler: a rotatable drum having a supporting shaft projectingaxially from one of its ends and having an air outlet opening adjacentsaid supporting shaft; a fixed housing sur rounding a portion of saidshaft andhaving an end air inlet opening in registration with the out-'let opening of said drum; a bearing for said drum supporting shaftcarried by said housing at the end thereof which is opposite to said airinlet opening, said housing also bein formed with a side air dischargeopening intermediate said air inlet and bearing; a box-shaped lint traphaving a side wall opening in registration with the side an auxiliaryend wall in said drum spaced in- I wardly of said second-mentioned endwall and forming an auxiliary end chamber therebetween, said auxiliaryend wall being formed with an air passage therethrough; a drumsupporting shaft fixed to said auxiliary end wall and projecting axiallyoutwardly through the central opening of said second-mentioned end wall;a housing surrounding a projecting portion of said drum supporting shaftand having an air inlet opening in registration with the central openingof said second-mentioned end wall, said housing also having an airdischarge opening.

13. In a tumbler: a rotatable drum having a front end Wall formed with aring-shaped air inlet opening between the center of the drum and theperiphery and having a rear end wall formed with a central opening; anauxiliary end Wall in said drum spaced inwardly of said rear end walland forming an auxiliary rear end chamber therebetween, said auxiliaryend wall being formed with an imperforate central area of a size l 10 asubstantially greater than the central opening and with a plurality ofair passages the'rethrough positioned radially outwardly of saidimperforate area; a drum supporting shaft fixed to said auxiliary endwall and projecting axially rearwardly through the central opening ofsaid rear end wall;

a bearing in which saiddrum supporting shaft is journalled for rotation;and means for rotating said drum-supporting shaft to cause rotation ofsaid drum.

14. In a tumbler: a rotatable drum having a supporting shaft projectingaxially from one of its ends and having an air outlet opening adjacentsaid supporting shaft; a fixed housin surrounding a portion of'saidshaft and having an end air inlet opening in registration with theoutlet opening of said drum; a bearing for said drum supporting shaft atthe end of said housing which is opposite said air inlet opening, saidhousing also having an air discharge opening locatedintermediate saidair inlet and bearing; a partition in said housing intermediate vinsaiddischarge opening and bearing, said partition having an aperture throughwhich said shaft projects, and a shaft seal between the shaft andopeningin the partition.

OLAF El. KLING.

JOHN P. JORGENSON.

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